Many different types of intranasal filters and medicament inhalers have been provided in the prior art. Generally, these units are approximately cylindrical in shape and are adapted to be located within the nasal passages, connected together by a bridging member that extends across the septum. Each cylindrical member contains a quantity of filter material through which nasal air passes during breathing. In units containing a medicament unit, the nasal air passes through the medicament which is slowly dispensed into the air by evaporation or sublimation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,335 to Kapp, for example, discloses a prior art nasal air filter over which the present invention is an improvement. The patented filter comprises a pair of cylindrical containers adapted to be inserted within the nasal passages. A quantity of filter material is retained within each cylinder by a pair of flanged end caps that are permanently formed to the cylinder. There is no provision for replacing the filter material, however, or for providing a medicament within the cylinder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,491 to Mattila discloses a relatively complex nasal filter wherein filter material or medicament can be loaded or replaced through cover plates that are removeable from the lower end of each of a pair of filter containers. The covers are removed from the corresponding filter containers by sliding the covers along a bridging member interconnecting the containers.
Other U.S. Patents disclosing intranasal filter and medicament dispenser devices considered to be illustrative of the background art are Phillips No. 2,087,042, Wilson No. 2,237,954, Hanlon No. 2,335,936, Korman No. 2,433,565, Safstrom No. 2,890,695, Nebel No. 3,722,509, and Bovender No. 4,052,983.
A deficiency of the prior art nasal air filter and medicament units has been that none provide convenient initial application or replacement of the medicament, as exemplified by the relatively complex structure of the Mattila patent, supra. Furthermore, in devices containing a filter as well as a medicament dispenser, resistance to air flow by the filter and medicament has been excessive, causing difficulty in breathing. There exists a need, therefore, for a nasal filter and medicament unit that provides both low resistance to air flow and simplified removal and replacement of medication.
A primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a new and improved nasal air filter and medicament dispenser device that provides simplified replacement of the medicament unit and offers reduced resistance to air flow.
Another object is to provide such a device that is worn comfortably within the nasal passages and is economical to produce.
In some types of diagnostics, it is necessary to measure a parameter, such as the temperature or bacteriological content of air passing through the nasal passages. Occasionally, a therapeutic substance such as an antibiotic must be dispensed at controlled intervals directly into the passage.
Another object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an intranasal device capable of unobtrusively monitoring a parameter of air passing through the nostrils.
Still another object is to provide an unobtrusive intranasal device for injecting at controlled intervals a fluid substance directly into the nostrils.